High-protein banana bread before your workout
Banana bread is a great choice when you want something simple, sweet and genuinely nourishing before a workout. In this recipe, banana, sweet potato, oat flakes and Mega Strong Protein (OLIMP) vanilla give you a soft, bread-like result, but with a more athlete-friendly nutritional profile.
Why does banana bread work before a workout?
Pre-workout food doesn’t have to be complicated. Often the best solution is something that’s easy to take with you, doesn’t sit heavy in your stomach and gives you enough energy. That’s exactly where this banana bread fits.
The banana brings sweetness and carbohydrates. The sweet potato makes the texture moister and helps you avoid the dry protein-bake feeling that many homemade recipes tend to produce. The oat flakes add a little more fullness, and the coconut flour binds the mixture together.
A simple truth: if food tastes good, it’s easier to keep eating it consistently. That applies to food for training too. If the banana slices, cinnamon and peanut butter make it feel like you’re eating dessert while your macros stay under control, the recipe has done its job.
Banana bread: ingredients and amounts
The amounts below are kept exactly as they are, because the strength of this recipe lies in these simple proportions. You don’t need ten different bowls or a long prep.
- Banana 100g
- Sweet potato 60g
- Coconut flour 15g
- Oat flakes 15g
- Protein vanilla 30g
- Baking powder (a teaspoon)
- Cinnamon
- Coconut oil (for greasing the pan) 1g
If the banana is very ripe, the bread turns out sweeter and softer. If the banana is still greenish, the flavor stays more subdued. For the sweet potato, one that has already been baked or boiled works well, as it blends in better.
How to make banana bread
Honestly, the preparation is pretty foolproof. The most important thing is to blend the mixture thoroughly so the oat flakes, sweet potato and protein powder don’t stay lumpy.
- Using a stick blender or food processor, blend all the ingredients together.
- Place the mixture in a baking pan greased with coconut oil and bake at 160 degrees for 1 hour.
- Serve with the toppings of your choice. I used Olimp peanut butter and banana slices.
If the pan is small, the banana bread will be taller and bake more slowly in the center. If the pan is wider, the result will be flatter and may cook through a little faster. The original baking time is 1 hour, so it’s worth sticking to it the first time and checking with a toothpick at the end.
What to keep in mind when serving
This recipe works well when you want something small before a workout, but not a completely empty bite. The banana slices add freshness. Peanut butter makes the portion richer, so it’s worth keeping an eye on the amount, especially if you’re trying to be more precise with calories.
So what actually happens? If you add a lot of fatty topping, the bread digests more slowly. That isn’t bad, but right before a heavy leg day, a too-heavy feeling in your stomach can get in the way of your workout. If you eat the banana bread earlier, for example calmly before heading to the gym, you have more room to play with toppings.
Cinnamon suits this recipe especially well, because it gives a sweet aroma without having to add sugar. If you want a slightly crispier texture, you can warm a slice lightly in a pan or toaster when serving. That keeps the middle soft and gives the edges a better bite.
Nutrition facts
The original nutritional values of the recipe are as follows:
- 340 Kcal
- 5 fat
- 23 protein
- 45 carbohydrate
- 10 dietary fiber
These numbers make it more of a proper snack than just a sweet bite. The 23 protein is the reason this recipe suits fitness.ee readers: you get your protein without having to eat nothing but quark or drink yet another shake.
The 45 carbohydrate gives you energy for training. The 10 dietary fiber helps the portion fill you up better. If your menu for the day is otherwise very light, this can be a nice way to add both flavor and practical fuel.
FAQ
Is banana bread only suitable before a workout?
No, not only before a workout. You can also eat it as a snack or after training, when you want something sweet but higher in protein than a regular cake.
Does the recipe work without protein powder?
The original recipe uses 30g of Mega Strong Protein (OLIMP) vanilla, so without it the flavor, texture and nutritional values all change. If you leave it out, the result is no longer the same recipe.
How do I keep banana bread soft?
Use a ripe banana and mix the sweet potato thoroughly into the batter. Don’t overbake it, because the coconut flour and protein powder can dry out with too much heat.
Author: Peep Reinart
Come and work out! ArtGym
